Dagenham (UK Parliament constituency) facts for kids

Dagenham was a special area in the United Kingdom that elected one person to be a Member of Parliament (MP). An MP is someone who represents their local area in the House of Commons, which is part of the UK Parliament. This area was called a "constituency".

People in Dagenham voted using a system called "first past the post". This means the candidate with the most votes wins. The Dagenham constituency was created in 1945 and stopped being a separate area for elections in 2010. Most of it then became part of a new constituency called Dagenham and Rainham.

What Were the Boundaries of Dagenham?

Dagenham in Essex, boundaries used 1945-50

The boundaries of the Dagenham constituency changed a few times over the years. These boundaries decide which streets and neighbourhoods belong to a certain voting area.

• 1945–1974: The constituency covered the whole area known as the Borough of Dagenham.
• 1974–1983: It included specific parts (called "wards") of the London Borough of Barking. These wards were Chadwell Heath, Eastbrook, Fanshawe, Heath, River, Valence, and Village.
• 1983–2010: The area grew slightly to include more wards within the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. These were Alibon, Chadwell Heath, Eastbrook, Fanshawe, Heath, Marks Gate, River, Triptons, Valence, and Village.

How the Boundaries Changed in 2010

Before the 2010 general election, a group called the Boundary Commission for England looked at all the voting areas in North London. They decided to create a new constituency. This new area was called Dagenham and Rainham, and it included most of the old Dagenham area.

A Look at Dagenham's History in Parliament

Before 1945, Dagenham was part of a larger voting area called Romford. When Dagenham became its own constituency, a politician named John Parker became its first MP. He belonged to the Labour Party.

John Parker was an MP for a very long time, from 1935 (when Dagenham was still part of Romford) until 1983. This meant he was an MP for 48 years! He was the last MP still serving who had been elected before the Second World War. For many years, he was the longest-serving Labour MP ever, until Dennis Skinner served even longer.

Dagenham was always considered a "safe seat" for the Labour Party. This means that the Labour candidate was almost always expected to win by a large number of votes.

Some other political groups were also active in the Dagenham area. For example, the British National Party (BNP) had some support here. In the 2005 general election, their candidate received almost 10% of the votes. In local elections in 2006, they even managed to get 12 councillors elected to the Barking and Dagenham London Borough Council.

What Was Dagenham Like?

The Dagenham area used to have many factories and skilled jobs, especially at the Ford Motor Company works. However, Ford reduced its production in 2001. This led to new businesses like warehouses and distribution centres moving in. The area also saw new building projects as part of the Thames Gateway plan, which started in 2005.

After the Ford factory scaled down, unemployment in Dagenham was higher than the national average for a while. For more recent information about the area, you can look at the details for the new constituency, Dagenham and Rainham.

In elections, the main party trying to beat Labour was usually the Conservative Party after 1979. Before that, the Liberal Party was often the second strongest party, competing with the Conservatives.

Who Were the Members of Parliament?

Here are the people who represented Dagenham in Parliament:

Election Results: A Quick Look

Election results show how many votes each candidate received. This helps us understand which parties were popular in Dagenham over time.

General Election 2001

In the 2001 election, Jon Cruddas from the Labour Party won.

General Election 2005

In the last election for the Dagenham constituency in 2005, Jon Cruddas won again for the Labour Party.

See also

• List of parliamentary constituencies in London